Grizzly bear caught in wolf trap, released ‘without incident’

Bear-related incidents recorded in the past month by the B.C. Conservation Officer Service:

• A grizzly bear caught in a wolf trap near the Palliser River west of Invermere was freed by conservation officers, after the trapper reported the situation.

“The adult female grizzly was successfully immobilized and the trap was removed from her paw without any incident,” Deputy Chief Chris Doyle said.

• Conservation officers captured and relocated a female grizzly bear and its two cubs at Cherryville in the South Okanagan after they were attracted into someone’s yard by fruit left from trees. The bears were sedated and relocated within their home range.

• Skeena district conservation officers are investigating after a mother black bear and two cubs were shot and dumped near Granisle. Another investigation involves the shooting of five black bears in separate locations along a road near Fort Nelson.

• Bear conflicts have declined as winter has approached in B.C., but there are still hotspots, including Kamloops where bear incident reports are the highest in a decade.

Bears continue to be attracted mainly by exposed garbage, fruit and other attractants. Province-wide, there were more than 3,000 calls to the COS about bears in October, and 20,000 since April 1.

Pumpkins are another attractant, and Doyle reminded people who set out Halloween pumpkins to remove them as soon as the festivities are over.